


Color of the Skies

by BlueDysania



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Explicit Language, Fire Lookout Red, Fire Lookout Sans, Firewatch au, Forest Ranger Stretch, Hurt/Comfort, Pet Annoying Dog, Polyamory, Romance, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-29 00:54:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13915905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueDysania/pseuds/BlueDysania
Summary: Firewatch AUSans has had a tough couple of years leading to the recent summer. He needs to get away, so when he spies an ad in the paper for a fire lookout in the secluded Shoshone Forest, he decides to take it. It's everything he hoped and nothing like he expected. Maybe he can do more than escape the world out here. Maybe he can find something he's been missing.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> tags to be added as chapters update!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> time passes and sets the stage...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a firewatch au and if anyone has played it, then this chapter will look familiar.
> 
> please be aware that the point of view in this chapter will only be in the prologue. it will return to third person in the next chapter.

You're halfway through your final semester when you're informed of your father's untimely death. An accident in the lab he worked at, they tell you, and give you their sincerest of apologies. You scramble to rush back home to your brother and find him with Toriel. She offers to let you stay with her for a while.

Papyrus is young and does not fully understand. You don't cry as you explain to him that father won't be coming home again.

 

Toriel takes you both to the funeral and you cry for the first time since you got the news. You are young too and you wish you didn't understand.

After a month you drop out of college to take care of your brother. The Dreemurs are always there to lend a hand when you are unable to handle your new responsibilities.

 

 

 

 

 

**Two months after your father dies, you find a letter in the mailbox informing you of your inheritance. This time you are crying with relief.**

 

* * *

 

Your inheritance is large but not bottomless. You purchase a small home on the edge of town and you finish your degree in Quantum Physics online. You send applications for a job your degree can be used for, hopeful. The rejection letters are somehow better than the jobs who ignore you completely and you end up taking a janitorial job at a department store and a gig selling hot dogs on the street.

You send Papyrus back to school, cook his meals, and clean up what Papyrus doesn't get too first. You help Papyrus with his homework and praise him whenever he gets a question right.

You love your brother more than anything else in the world.

But when he is at a friend's house or spending time with the Dreemur's and their children, you go to a local pub. You entertain its residents with your hilarious puns. You meet the bartender named Grillby.

"nice to meet you hot stuff." You give a cheesy wink.

"…"

Your pretty sure he's blushing.

 

 

 

 

 

**Life isn't perfect, but it's good.**

 

* * *

 

Papyrus is in high school when a small, scruffy, abandoned white dog starts to hand around their house. You don't drive it away and put a bowl of water on the porch.

Adoption is the only choice when you see Papyrus look eagerly out the window for their little friend and grow worried when it doesn't show. You buy everything that a dog might need and let Papyrus choose the collar.

You wonder where he found a meatball patterned collar but the dog seems to like it.

 

Pup is annoying. Papyrus complains about it daily. Pup will steal food from the cupboards, clothes from their dressers, and be found in the strangest places. You are laughing nearly every day.

When you close the book of the latest Fluffy Bunny chapter, Papyrus is deeply asleep and cuddling their little friend as close as he can.

 

 

 

 

 

**Pup is wonderful and annoying and nothing less than family.**

 

* * *

 

You are both watching the stars on the roof when Papyrus' asks, "Sans do you want to go back to school?"

You are confused.

He continues, "You don't really leave the house anymore... or call any of your old friends."

You look back at the stars and keep smiling. You don't tell him about the two jobs you work to pay the bills and the money being set aside in a savings account for the day Papyrus chooses to leave him behind.

"I know I would be lonely if I could not see Undyne or anyone else at school… Sans, are you lonely?" Papyrus sounds so sad.

You tell him no.

How could you be lonely with someone as cool as Papyrus as your brother? As Papyrus preens under the praise you tell him that you still go to Grillby's and see all of your friends there.

He announces that he believes you and will stop being so complaintive of your choosing to eat such greasy food so often.

 

 

 

 

 

**You're both only half truthful by the end of the conversation.**

 

* * *

 

 

Papyrus is home late one night and you are worried. You are pacing by the front door as you call and text with no response. You are still awake when he finally walks through the door smelling like smoke and alcohol.

You are beside yourself as your worry turns to anger and demand to know where he's been. Papyrus pouts and mumbles and dodges every question you ask him.

He goes to bed, announcing that it is none of your business and that he doesn't want you to read him a bedtime story that night. You sit on the couch, fuming. Hours go by and all you are left with is guilt as you slump on the couch feeling like you want to cry or pass out but unable to do either.

You can't sleep so you see Papyrus coming down the stairs with a look of shame. He sits beside you and quietly admits that he had been at a party with Undyne and he had meant to leave early. Undyne's girlfriend had brought along her distant cousin Mettaton and he'd gotten distracted.

You are upset for a whole new host of reasons but decide to let it go for the night. You apologize for shouting and Papyrus apologizes for making you worry.

 

 

 

 

 

**You both sit together on the couch watching bad movies until the sun comes and sleep the following day away.**

 

* * *

 

It's Halloween and Papyrus plans to go to a party with his friends. He tells you he wants to impress Mettaton but none of the costumes he can find in town are good enough. He is distraught so you tell him not to worry about it. That night you dip into your spending money and go into town.

Papyrus is curious but you only tell him that he's taking care of it. When he asks about your costume, you tell him that you have work and costumes aren't really allowed. You work through the night and by morning your finger-tips are sore from being pricked by needles and there is superglue on your sleeves.

The day before Halloween you present Papyrus with the costume you hand-made and call it a Battle Body. You know that Papyrus has been enamored by the Royal Guard, the local police force, and tell him every guard needs armor.

It's kind of a joke but meant to show your support for Papyrus' dream. He hugs you tightly and announces that it is the best costume ever. You are meaning to give him the last piece of the present when he gives you something in return. It is a Jack-O-Lantern helmet, so real looking that you are surprised to hear the thud of plastic under the satin when you knock your fingers against it.

It is a helmet to wear when you drive your scooter to work he announces and then adds with a flourish that it will glow in the dark.

You hug him in thanks and don't let go until he is dragging your limp body across the grass as he limps to his car. You let go only to wrap your masterpiece, a red scarf woven with magic around his neck and then you wave him goodbye. You rush to get ready for work. You put a skeleton costume onto Pup before you leave and hope to be home to catch Papyrus' reaction to it.

 

 

 

 

 

**You ride to work with the Jack-O-Lantern helmet on and laugh louder with each enchanted kid's face you pass by. It's the best costume ever.**

 

* * *

 

Papyrus is gone for a week-long training camp and you have been going to Grillby's every night. You flirt with the shy bartender but are shier whenever he flirts back. He catches on and you leave much earlier than usual, blue in the face and stuttering your goodbye. He looks smug and you feel warm.

You are only a block away and are not surprised to find Pup trotting beside you. Pup knows this town inside and out and tends to appear out of thin air sometimes. You are practicing your puns for Grillby and asking Pup's opinion as you go.

Someone grabs the back of your shirt when you pass an alley and pulls you in.

The fact you left the bar early and the evening is still light is what saves your life. Someone sees the mugging occur and Undyne is the one to arrive on the scene. She beats up the human and kneels down beside you. You hear her talk, feel her wrapping something around your ribs, but you pass out before you know anything else.

You wake up in the hospital. You have deep scarring from where the human had run a knife across your ribs. The Intent has caused a permanent hit to your HP. What worries you however is seeing your brother at your side, bawling the moment you whisper his name. You try to comfort him and he tries to comfort you. It's a mess of tears and shock but when Papyrus leaves for the night with the promise to return bright and early in the morning, it's with a watery smile.

 

 

 

 

 

**You will both suffer from the scare of that night for weeks but you're alive and in the end everything goes back as close to normal as it can.**

 

* * *

 

 

The accident that you had was unfortunate and not at all your fault but that doesn't stop the hospital from sending a large bill to your doorstep. Your sore and still healing but you manage to convince your brother that everything is fine. You go out and secure two more jobs on top of the two you already have.

You've always been good at convincing people you can handle things.

The bills have begun to pile but with the mass of hours you work, you can see the pile thinning. You tell Papyrus everything is fine over and over and assure him he can go to the training camp again. It's a hefty check to write for re-admittance but you won't let a dumb accident keep your brother from his dream.

He leaves and you work.

 

 

 

 

 

**Everything is fine.**

 

* * *

 

Papyrus has passed the training camp with flying colors. He is offered a position at the illustrious Royal Guard Academy two thousand miles away. He wants to go and you can see the way he tries to resist pushing about the issue. You crunch the numbers but even in your most optimistic prediction you can't afford the move. You'd lose your jobs and the bills won't wait.

You encourage Papyrus to go anyway. There is a free boarding program for students who qualify and after some research, you’re relieved to find he does. Papyrus takes a surprisingly long time to agree but a couple days before the offer's expiration, he tells you he is going to pack.

He promises to visit every other weekend and you know he will keep it.

 

 

 

 

 

**It isn’t lost on you that you always seem to be waving Papyrus off on some adventure and you remain here.**

 

* * *

 

Some time passes and everything seems to be going smoothly for once. You manage to catch up on payments, your hospital bill is paid in full and you happily let go of the two jobs you were forced to get to pay them.

Papyrus' saving account remains untouched and you feel a swell of pride from the fact. Everything really seems to be okay.

You wonder if maybe you can try and apply your degree for a job again when Papyrus shows up.

He doesn't speak for a long time and you don't leave his side as he wanders around the house in a shell-shocked state. It is 3am and you are both sitting on his race car bed when he finally says something. He has been let go from the Academy.

They told him that he is unfit to be a Royal Guard and terminated his qualifications.

 

You take some time off and try to cheer up your brother as much as you can. You spout off puns, encourage Pup to spend as much time as he can with Papyrus, even cook some old recipes from years ago. You make an old Italian dish that you remember your father had made often when you were a babybones.

Of all the things, spaghetti is what wakes your brother from his despondency.

You wake up the next day and find the house filled with smoke and the kitchen a disaster zone. There is burnt… things on the ground and red sauce splattered all over the walls. It will take forever to clean and even longer to fully remove all the stains.

You don't care about any of that. Papyrus is exuberantly showing off his latest attempt at spaghetti with a wide grin and a sparkle in his sockets.

 

 

 

 

 

**The spaghetti is absolutely awful but you swallow every bite and smile at Papyrus through the churning in your stomach. Worth it.**

 

* * *

 

Sooner or later you need a break from Papyrus' streak of culinary attempts. You come home from another day at work and ask Papyrus to go to Grillby's with you. You beg and plead, you worked so hard today. You add that you really want some ketchup from Grillby's when Papyrus begins to suspect his cooking is the reason for this sudden desire.

You are munching on a hamburger with great relief an hour later. You will never underappreciate food again. Papyrus sits next to you with a look of distaste and forced politeness on his face and it makes you snicker into your ketchup.

Grillby and Papyrus don't seem to really like each other but the compliment over the milkshake the bartender whips up seems to cool things down.

You try to flirt with Grillby but it's been months since you last came in and all you can manage are unpolished, flattering puns about fire. Grillby seems slightly annoyed half the time and the other half he is giving as good as you do.

You aren't sure what that means but you think you can wait. There's a spark between you two after all and your confidence flies at the wink he gives you after you say so.

 

 

 

 

 

**You tell Grillby about Papyrus' new cooking interest and he suggests the culinary school in the next town over. You tell Papyrus about it and the next day he is enrolled. Things look pretty good all things considered.**

 

* * *

 

The day it happens it's your day off and you are setting up one of your rare selfish purchases in the field behind your house. It's a clear night and Papyrus will be coming home. He'd agreed to go stargazing with you and you had everything ready. The blanket was spread out and the basket full of food was waiting in the fridge.

Pup was chasing butterflies when your cellphone rings.

You forget everything the moment you put it to your skull.

You grab Pup and are running back to the house.

You spill the basket onto the floor and put Pup in it, slinging it on the caboose of your scooter.

You break every speed limit law to the opposite side of town.

 

There is chaos and flashing lights colored red and blue. There is smoke and twisted metal. So many cars piled together, a bus pushed by all of them onto its side and now wedged between what had been oncoming traffic. The bus that was supposed to bring Papyrus home.

It was still on fire.

You stumble to the police tape and are unable to speak when Guards make demands you can't hear. Sometime later you realize you are moving forward with blue scaled hands steering you away from the wreckage and to what you realize belatedly is a lineup of clothing.

Monsters turn to dust. This is how you have to identify your beautiful, beloved brother. You don't know what Papyrus was wearing today but you see the familiar worn red scarf resting on the white sheet that had been laid out beneath the articles of clothing.

Undyne gently hands the scarf to you and you collapse, keening into the dusty cloth. Pup whimpers and licks your cheek as you wail.

 

 

 

 

 

**…**

 

* * *

 

There is no way to know which particles of dust are Papyrus and which are other monsters. You can't sprinkle what remains of your brother on his favorite things. So, you mourn for him there instead.

You sit on his bed and mourn.

You lay in the kitchen and mourn.

And always his scarf is around your neck.

 

A mass funeral is arranged. Toriel accompanies you, driving you in the early morning. You hold Pup in your arms and find it morbidly funny that you've been here before.

Your father. Now your brother.

Like so many years before, you cling to her arm and cry.

 

 

 

 

 

**You slip away from Toriel afterwards and fall asleep on Papyrus' bed.**

 

* * *

 

You try multiple times to pack away Papyrus' things. You want to box them up to save them, never to throw away. But every item you pick up is a memory.

His action figures and the Fluffy Bunny collection and his advanced puzzle books are left scattered on the floor with empty boxes lining the walls.

You soon run out of tears.

 

With no more tears to help you express the wound in your Soul, you go out and return with a case of beer. You put out food and water for Pup and shut yourself in your room.

 

 

 

 

 

**It's lukewarm and tastes disgusting but you drink it all and sleep through the night. It's all you can ask for right now.**

 

* * *

 

Friends of Papyrus' come by sometimes. They seem confused as they enter the house. You know you haven't been cleaning all that much, but it's not that bad. The memory of Papyrus has him cleaning in random spurts leaving a rather odd combination of chaos and order.

It reflects you nicely, you think.

No, you know they're confused because they don't know if they should comfort you or ask for your comfort. You listen to them talk about Papyrus and you find you can chime in sometimes.

"my bro's so cool." You would murmur to their stories.

Eventually though, it's too much. You stop responding and stare at them until they feel uncomfortable enough to leave. When they do it's with a weak smile and promise to come back soon.

You actually think you might like if they did. The stories are nice in small doses.

 

 

 

 

 

**They never come back.**

 

* * *

 

You are fired from your janitorial job.

You aren't surprised. If anything, you are surprised it didn't happen sooner. Ever since… well, you haven't been the best employee lately.

Despite the fact you lost your primary job, you aren't eager to find another. You have enough saved. You haven't been eating all that much and you aren't really using the other utilities either so bills have been meager.

The fact that Papyrus' savings account is now redundant and basically your own money now… well you don't really think about it.

 

You don't have to use it… you’re fine.

 

 

 

 

 

**You quit your hotdog gig.**

 

* * *

 

You go to Grillby's.

Everyone goes quiet when you walk in. You sit down in your regular seat and stare at the countertop. Slowly, the sounds of the pub return as everyone gets tired of staring at your unmoving form.

You don't look up yourself until you see the reflective glow of Grillby in the shiny wood. You think about ordering ketchup, you see him reaching for it.

"whiskey."

If this shocks Grillby, you can't tell. You get your whiskey and that's all that matters right now.

 

You're drunk. You have shot glasses dancing in your sockets and the roar of the pub has died down considerably. Had you passed out? You must have, it's silent now and Grillby is sitting beside you, drinking something that smells like gasoline.

It probably is.

You study the bartender and realize you missed him. You were stupid to wait.

Grillby looks over and asks you what you waited for. You kiss him in answer and he kisses you back.

 

You're breathless and for the first time since that day you feel warmth in your bones that have nothing to do with the fact a literal flame lays next to you. The coldness that comes when Grillby rolls away, bare shoulders hunched, has everything to do with it. You reach for him, drunk in alcohol and bliss.

You sober up quick when he speaks before you can touch him.

"This was a mistake."

He doesn't look at you. You grab your clothes and get dressed feeling the numbness set in again. You walk home in the dark and lay down on the couch. You don’t get any sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

**He calls you the next day and you don't answer. He keeps calling. You don't go back.**

 

* * *

 

Winter comes and goes.

The heat is shut off because you haven’t paid that particular bill.

You're a skeleton, it's not like you need the house to be heated.

You can't get sick.

 

Papyrus would have insisted on having the heat on all winter long.

 

Pup comes crawling into your arms in the night and you finally dip into Papyrus' saving account to pay the heating bill. For Pup.

 

 

 

 

 

**You miss Papyrus.**

 

* * *

 

Summer is coming and you see an ad in the paper for a job.

 

 

 

 

 

**You take it.**

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Day 0 - March 2nd

Sans closed the door to his little red pick-up and looked out toward the mountain trail. Breathing in the fresh, wild air was almost… comforting. He did a quick circle around his truck, making sure all the doors were locked. It would sit here all summer after all.

A few minutes later with a yellow cap he'd found abandoned on the ground on his head and his gear on his back, he took in the message board at the start of the trail. He had a map of his own in his pocket from Gerson but he took a quick look at the Thorofare Trail warning. Keeping its cautionary advice in mind, he set out down the trail.

 

The light is waning with a gentle orange and pink glow as Sans dropped down from a small outcrop of rock. Looking toward the sun, he can see it beginning to dip beyond the mountain. It's not exactly a wild guess that night will be on the forest in a few short hours. A small wooden sign that tells Two Forks Tower is still 8 miles away confirms that Sans will have to make camp tonight.

It’s just as well, he thinks hopping over a fallen log. He's starting to get tired. He'd walked more today than in the last few weeks. Papyrus would have been proud of him.

 

The sun is barely visible through the trees when he sits down in his makeshift camp. Braced against a log and with his lantern sitting on a stump in front of him, Sans eats a quick meal of oatmeal cooked over his trail grill.

Full and yet still with aching hollowness in his Soul, Sans leans back to watch the sky darken. He doesn't really feel… better, but something in him tells him it was the right thing to do.

After speaking with Gerson, the owner of the Park Service assigned to Shoshone Forest, he'd only felt more and more that he wanted to do this. A part of it was simply to get away. The house haunted him with its emptiness and his favorite place in Snowdin was a bitter memory. He thinks Gerson might have seen something of that in him because despite his less than stellar health, he was hired anyway.

Sans was given an approved list of items and comforts he could bring with him with the warning that anything he brought might be lost in the case of a wildfire. He packed quickly and quietly, telling no one of his decision. Not that he had, had many people to tell. Things he dared not risk losing were boxed and put into storage. He went out at night to buy new items to replace them like a new Fluffy Bunny trilogy set or a much smaller foldable telescope.

Dropping the boxes of things he deemed safe to lose off at the park service station, Gerson promised him they would be waiting at his tower when he arrived. Only his new set of camping essentials and some personal effects were kept for his hike up to Two Forks.

The day before he left Snowdin, he went to Toriel's house and told her what he was doing. Honestly, he had expected her to get angry, even a little bit. If not about his sudden decision to leave, then for not telling her.

Toriel had only hugged him tightly and Frisk hugged him even tighter. He was wished to be well and they promised him that they would take care of Pup until he returned in September. Sans had spent the rest of the day with them, enjoying their company and considerate ignorance of his state of grief. Upon leaving he only asked that they not tell anyone where he was going until he was gone. With tearful agreements he got another round of loving, warm hugs.

He'd hugged Pup too, who had held unnaturally still, woofing softly into his chest as though saying good-bye.

With a newly rattled and weary Soul, he'd burst into tears on their porch and was coaxed back inside to sleep the night away on the couch, Pup buried in his arms.

With a final promise to the last bit of family he had left, that he _would_ be back, he'd hopped into the cab called for him and left Snowdin and all it's painful memories behind.

A loud hooting of an owl startled Sans and he realized that night had long fallen. Trudging his tired bones to his sleeping bag, he pulled out the scarf he'd gifted Papyrus so long ago. Cleaned and mended as though brand new, he cuddled it against his face as he drifted to sleep.

 

The next day is as beautiful as the last. Sans walks as though still half-asleep, admiring the lush brightness. Peering through the canopy, the filtered sunlight is bright and stunning and he smiles. Crossing a log convinently in place as a brigde, Sans pauses at the crackle of undergrowth being stepped on. A large deer, a buck, grazes peacefully in front of him. Sans says nothing nor moves but some animal instinct alerts the deer anyway and it looks at him with its large eyes.

Sans wishes desperately for a camera in that moment. It shakes its mighty head and then gallops away.

 

Another night has fully settled in by the time Sans pushes aside some foliage and enters the clearing of his new home for the summer. He looks up, and up, and up. The height is daunting but Sans can barely think past the need to sleep as he trudges toward the spiraling staircase. Each step is a sweet torture as he climbs and he hopes he'll get used to this or else the summer will be much longer than he thought.

Reaching the landing, Sans can't help but take a look around. The moonlight is almost enough to illuminate the area and he circles the landing, taking in the view with widened sockets.

A speck of light far, far off catches his attention and he figures that must be the other lookout over in Thorofare. A chill runs down his spine from the cold wind and Sans turns around to quickly enter his tower.

Even in the dark, he can see his boxes as well as a few other boxes marked 'Supplies for Two Forks', as well as his new bedding folded neatly on the twin bed. Reaching up for the power button, he is surprised as the force needed to hit the ON button.

"evenin' Two Forks Tower."

Sans jumped, literally spooked, at the sudden voice. He turned, looking for the source and trying to calm his racing Soul. Apparently two days in the wilderness had taken more of a toll than he'd thought. The voice hadn't even been that loud.

"Two Forks Tower, this is Thorofare Tower, come in."

Sans grabbed the radio and after a quick examination of it, pushed the button on the side, "um, hello?"

The voice, deep and gravelly, responded quickly, "there yer are. yer… Sans Serif, righ'?

"yes? who are you?"

"'m Red Aster."

Sans relaxed minutely. He knew that name. "oh, you're my supervisor."

"that'd be me. was wonderin' how long it'd take yer ta get here."

Sans winced. He'd been told that the hike usually took a couple days but… maybe he should have arrived earlier. The last thing he wanted was to make his only contact out here mad at him. "oh, uh, yeah. the hike took me longer than i thought it would…"

A short laugh came over the radio, "extra baggage always does."

"… what does that mean?" Sans asked, feeling the stirrings of anger tense his hand wrapped around the radio.

"relax. almost everyone who comes out here has a particular type of reason for taking this job. happy people aren't really interested in this kinda gig if yer get my meanin'. so what's got yer comin' all the way out-"

" _please_." Sans fell into the chair in front of the desk, anger draining from him and leaving only exhaustion. Red went silent. "please… i don't want to talk about it."

The voice that came over the radio did not sound softer, but the flippancy in the tone was completely gone, "heh, yer don' gotta… do yer wanna guess mine?"

"no."

"are yer _sure_?"

Sans felt as though he could see a teasing smile in his mind and it felt like an apology. His teeth pulled up slightly despite his firm, "good night."

"alrigh', alrigh'. g'night, Sans. welcome to Shoshone Forest."

Sans set the radio back into it's charging port and sighed. Carrying his leaden bones to the bed, he considered the pile of blankets and with very minuscule effort, pulled them into a vague semblance of a proper bed. He climbed up onto the mattress and was asleep before his skull hit the pillow.


	3. Day 1 - March 3rd

Sans woke with a strong sense of disorientation as he stared up at a ceiling that he did not recognize. A bleary look around brought the memory of last night back. That was right, he'd arrived at the lookout long after dark and pretty much passed out. And now that he'd remembered he could feel the difference of the springy mattress under him. His own, back home, had been rough and bumpy from over-use. This one was almost uncomfortable from under-use.

Sitting up with arms that still felt rather heavy though not the dead weight they'd been last night, Sans focused on the clock across the room. A sigh left him when he noticed the large crack on the plastic cover and the lack of movement from any of the hands. It said 4:25 but who knew what the actual time was.

Glancing out the window on the door, he frowned at the orangey evening sky and slid off the bed, "how long was i asleep?"

Sans grabbed one of his personal boxes and after rummaging through two of them, pulled out an old-fashioned wrist-watch and a small foldable digital clock to place on the shelving at the foot of his bed. Neither of them matched and neither of them seemed to have the right time for what the sky was indicating. Deciding to chock it up to a loss for the moment, he picked out a plaid white and dark green checkered shirt and threw it on, tossing his hike-dirtied shirt to the floor.

Shuffling over to the bed, Sans sat down heavily and rested his head in his hands.

It was quiet… birdsong and the whistle of wind all that he could hear. Even in a small town like Snowdin there had been the sounds of bustling life around him at nearly all hours of the day. The difference wasn't unpleasant. Breathing in deeply, Sans stood and looked around the lookout. There was dust and dirt on the surfaces but otherwise, despite the mess of boxes, everything was rather clean.

If this was going to be his new home for the summer, he needed to treat it like one.

The bright side was it was only one room, Sans thought with a small smile. He could manage that.

Sans spent the next hour pushing his boxes into some semblance of order, one large pile rather than many, and stepped outside to jimmy the large wood panels from the windows. He propped them up against the wall of his lookout, resolving to take them down later. …Maybe.

Sans finished dusting off the surface of the desk and sat down, placing a framed picture of his brother and him on the corner by the lamp. He traced the picture with a sad smile. Toriel had taken this photo. They were making a snowman when Papyrus was barely out of his babybones. Tearing his eyes away, he pulled out the drawers, checking their contents.

He'd just pulled a pinecone from one of the top drawers, confused, when his radio crackled to life.

"well, good afternoon. yer sure slept like the dead." Sans breathed a laugh at the unintentional pun despite his startled jump. "anyway, still time to do yer job today. i can see yer up so give me a call when yer ready."

Sans's sockets widened and he looked over at the Thorofare lookout. He grabbed his radio as he moved over to his bed, climbing up on it for a better look. "you can see me?"

A laugh followed a very, very faint flash of light from the lookout, "so ta speak. i got an eyeglass, so do yer actually… yer a shrimp, aren't yer? could barely make out yer head movin' around in there."

Sans ducked his head and scrambled off the bed, feeling embarrassed and even more so when he realized he was surrounded by windows by all sides. How was he going to change? Just lay on the ground and pull on his clothes that way?

"w-why are you watching me!?"

"hey, hey, relax! i tried to call yer earlier and yer didn' answer. gotta check up on yer if i don' hear from yer. safety's first out here." Red said seriously, "used my 'glass to check for any movement, that's all. i don' make a habit of spying on my lookouts."

Said like that, Sans had to admit it made sense. And Red was his supervisor after all. He _had_ to make sure Sans was alright. "okay. i understand."

What might have been a sound of relief came from Red, "good."

"and uh, sorry. didn't mean to sleep in."

"'s fine. was only, what, a short fourteen hours." The teasing tone was back and Sans planted a hand on his face. That was worse than he'd thought.

"geeze… it must be… six or something."

"6:45 ta be exact."

Sans quickly set the time on his wrist-watch and then the little digital clock, "thanks."

"don' sweat it. the hike out will do that to yer. did ta me first time i came out here, too."

Sans was a little surprised though he wasn't sure why. Red's voice was deep, and strong… in his mind's eye he saw a tall, muscular figure to go with it. Certainly not someone who would be winded by a simple hike.

"really?"

Red snorted, "oooh yeah. well, since yer up, i gotta fulfill my supervisor duties. there's a stand in the middle of your room with a round map on it. yer see it?"

It was kind of hard to miss. Sans stepped up to it and thanked the Stars that his height wasn't so short that he couldn't see the map, "yep."

"that is an Osborne Fire Finder. it was invented in the 1910s by W.B. Osborne. yer use this ta spot fires in the… what the fuck?"

Sans frowned at the abrupt interruption, "um, are you okay?"

Red sounded distracted when he answered a few seconds later, "uh, yeah, it's nothin'. yer use it… fuck!"

The expletive was loud and fierce. It made Sans jump and he looked toward Thorofare with wide sockets, "Red?"

"look out yer west-facin' window. do yer see it?"

Sans snatched his compass off the desk and pin-pointed west. Looking out the window west-ward, he scanned the trees and the sky. He was about to report that he couldn't see anything in particular when a streak of white light shot up and then exploded in a spray of pink and yellow.

"are those fuckin' fireworks?"

"i think so…" Sans confirmed as another shot up and became a blossom of green and blue, "aren't they illegal out here?"

"yes." If Sans thought Red's voice had been deep before, it was nothing compared to the rumbling growl he spoke with now. "Sans, i need yer to head down there and stop 'em. fire danger is pretty serious this year."

The very idea of confronting strangers made Sans shift uncomfortably, "isn't that what the rangers do?"

"they do," Red confirmed, "but the one in our region is outta the area at the moment ta assist a search and rescue in Chimney Rock. a hiker lost his map but was able ta radio for help. won' be more than a day or two but the fact is, he ain't here an' yer the closest to 'em right now. jus' go down there and layout the rules."

Sans still felt hesitant though he reached for his backpack anyway, "okay."

"hey, it's fine. likely it's a bunch of dumb kids who didn' bother ta read the safety guidelines or too dumb ta realize the guidelines are punishable by law if broken. set 'em straight and it'll probably scare 'em ta stoppin' anyway." Red assured.

The confidence in Red's voice made him feel surprisingly better and with a little more strength in his voice he repeated, "okay."

"good, get goin'."

Sans slung his pack on and grabbed the yellow cap he'd found. He grinned at the little banana shaped icon on the brim and put it on. Radio in hand, he stepped outside and made sure to lock the door behind him and tucked the key into his shorts' pocket. As he did, he made mental note to try and fashion a strong thread so he could put the key around his neck.

Red spoke up as he began to descend, "yer gonna need a rope to get down the shale between yer and the lake, so yer'll have ta stop by one of the supply boxes on the trail. the code is 4-6-7-3. an' it works on… all of 'em."

Sans paused, frowning in disbelief, "you're kidding."

A scoff of equal disbelief and exasperation, "unfortunately no. not allowed ta change 'em though. park service set 'em up that way."

Sans continued, shaking his head, "that doesn't seem smart."

"yer tellin' me." Red groused, “still… not many campers bother with ‘em when they see the locks so i guess it’s fine.”

Sans passed the little sign declaring Jonsey Lake was .7 miles away and tapped it thoughtfully as he went. He pulled out his map and ran a finger down the trail he was supposed to follow. The path in reality was not exactly neat and pretty but well-trodden enough to be easy to follow.

It wouldn't be the wild if it was perfect and Sans found it almost enjoyable making sure he was going the right way. He referenced his map and compass multiple times as he went and didn't hesitate to admire the colors of early evening on the trees. The loud pops of fireworks however kept him going at a steady pace toward the supply cache marked 306.

Spotting the big yellow cache was easy. Sans put in the combination and with a huff, pushed the lid upward. The first thing he spotted was the giant map secured to the underside of the lid and he leaned forward, noting the markings. He pulled out his own map and copied the notes, who knew if it might come in handy?

The medicine wheel sounded interesting though. He'd never seen one in person before. And there were so many extra trails marked down. He'd be out here all summer, he had plenty of time to take a look.

The second was a note pinned next to the map and he gingerly undid the tape to read it.

'Sugarbaby,

looks like you were right, after all, not that i'm surprised. just packed up everything left behind in the lookout. i'm not very upset about the aftermath to be honest. perhaps it's rude but i say good riddance.

i have to head back to the station for now but i'll come find you when i get back! i left a treat for you~!

<3, Cottontail'

Sans couldn't help but feel awkward and looked around as though someone were watching him read the private correspondence. Was it private if it was taped for anyone in the park service to see, though? After a minute of hard thinking Sans breathed in deeply and folded the letter to put into his pack. He'd take it back with him, to get it out of the elements, and ask Red about it later as obviously Cottontail and Sugarbaby were not their real names.

The treat was not in the box so Sans had to imagine that either 'Sugarbaby' or another park service worker had grabbed it. Grabbing the coiled rope, he looped it around one of his pack's buckles and closed the cache, locking it securely and spinning the numbers randomly.

The map now showed three different ways to reach the shale slide but Sans continued down the main trail originally on the map. It was his first day out here and he had a job to do after all.

His rather good hike was stalled when he was hopping over a large log and noticed the tree stump next to it, gnarled and ripped with claw marks on its remaining trunk. He brought his radio up then stopped. He stared at the marks and then shook his head, turning his back on the ripped-up tree.

It was an animal, of course it was, and Red didn't need him to call in every little thing that he happened to notice out here.

Sans continued on and tried to put it out of his mind. It got easier when he reached the shale and he noticed how steep it actually was compared to what he'd expected. Keeping a fair distance from the drop off, he asked, "uh, is this shale safe?"

A few seconds and then Red answered, "that one's pretty tame compared ta some of the other ones 'round here. doesn' even have a name. long as yer got that rope and secure it tight, yer should be just fine."

Sans took out the rope and slowly went through the instructions that Gerson had taught him as part of his initial training to make the loop knot. Once he secured it to the latch, he yanked a few times and felt satisfied that it was right when it only tightened further. Throwing the rest of the length down the shale, he began to rappel down. Even his careful, slow pace couldn't prevent the sudden sound of something straining above him.

Sans looked up just in time to see the middle section of the rope beginning to tear. He could do nothing but suck in a breath before it snapped and he fell. He closed his eyes and tried to cushion himself by rolling into a ball.

The landing wasn't exactly painful but Sans groaned where he uncurled on the dirt, feeling the magic rushing into the bones he'd landed on, his left arm and leg. He knew in a few hours they would be splotched with a darkened blue.

Oh well, Sans sighed as he got to his feet, it could have been worse than a few bruises. Feeling adequately in pain enough to share, he reported his fall simply by saying, "ugh… should call it Cripple Gulch."

Red reply was immediate, "what? are yer okay?"

Checking himself and his pack, he nodded even though Red couldn't see it, "mmhmm, yeah, i'm fine."

"geeze, the hell happened?"

Sans grabbed the short length of rope that had fallen with him and stowed it away. The other half was out of reach and stuck in the little rocks of the shale. He wouldn't be going back this way.

"my rope snapped."

"shit."

Red sounded concerned so Sans tacked on as he began to walk, "i'm okay though, might have a bruise or something. i wasn't that far from the bottom."

"if yer sure." Red said slowly, "lemme know if somethin' ends up hurtin' later. this ain't a job ta hide injuries, yer got me Sans?"

The use of his name brought Sans to attention strangely. It was the first time Red had used it that day and it felt official, like Red was actually his supervisor and not some voice he occasionally talked to over the radio.

Well, he was that too, but still.

Trying to guess at the right response, Sans replied, "got it, boss."

The laughter he gets in return is loud and deep. Red laughs for so long, a degree of mirth so strong within it that Sans puzzles out that there must be some joke or reference that had gone way over his head. Sans keeps walking and can't help but smile as the laughter fades in and out. He can almost picture Red moving around his own lookout trying to stop laughing.

While Red's laughter echoes over the radio, Sans comes across another rope hook and glances down the new shale. A check with his map and Sans turns away from it, heading west. He puts a little dot on the map though to come by and check it out later.

He's cresting a small up rise in the ground when Red comes back, still wheezing on chuckles, "yer don'… don' gotta call me 'boss'. Red 'll work just fine."

Yeah, Sans guesses shaking his head with a small grin, he'd definitely missed something. Oh well… one of life's mysteries, he guessed.

He comes out onto a small meadow dotted with large stones. It's colored a beautiful pastel of orange sunset and he can't help but comment on it, "this place… it's _pretty_."

Red sounds equally fond, "heh, Jonsey Lake, right? haven' been down there in ages. 's a great spot though. figure it's where the fireworks were comin' from since it's a popular campin' area."

Sans can see the signs of some campers as he gets closer and is a little relieved to see no one is there at the moment, "well… they _were_ here. don't see anyone though."

"damn." Red cursed, not at all relieved, "try the lake next, then."

Getting closer he sees reflections of light coming from two stones framing a part of the path. Cans are littering the stones and the grass around it and Sans picks one up. The Red Eagle brand, a cheap knock-off brand he remembers from some obscure time ago, is on all of the aluminum and all the aluminum is empty.

"there's a bunch of empty cans all over the place." He reports, grabbing cans and stuffing them in his thankfully mostly empty backpack.

"beer?" Red asks with a heavy sigh. Like he already knows the answer.

"yep."

And the deep growl was back, "fuckin' awesome. drunk pyromaniacs. would yer be a doll and pick up the ones yer see?"

Sans chuckled softly, "already on it."

"thanks." A pause and then Red murmurs quietly, "people are the worst."

A sad smile curls his teeth as he moves closer to the outcropping, "sometimes, yeah." He can see a lot of things that need addressing but he heads over to the backpacks resting against the large cliff first, "got two bags here."

"hmm. don' touch 'em. they might be pissed ta get a talkin' too, so let's not give them any excuses to file for harassment."

Sans blinked, "uh…"

"don' worry." Red assured. "keep tellin' me what yer confiscating, what yer see, and what yer do. an' yer know what… keep yer radio on when yer confront 'em. i'll listen in so there won't be no he said, she said bullshit. hit that bottom button on yer radio, it'll keep the line open."

Sans did so and a little green light lit up on the right-hand corner of the radio, "done." Leaving the packs where they were, he hurried over to the campfire not too far away. "they didn't even put out the embers in the campfire!" He exclaimed as he stomped out the little dots of fire and for good measure took a few handfuls of loose soil and dumped it on the little trails of smoke left behind.

"fuck, i'm writin' all this down. at this point, it don' matter what they say, this is blatant disregard for the fire danger warnings. stupid assholes!" Red snarled and the sound of something being thrown made Sans wince. He winced again when he spotted a bundle of multi-colored fireworks and picked them up with a heavy hand.

"found the fireworks."

"good. confiscate 'em." Another object clatters in the background but Red sounds pleased to have found the contraband so Sans thinks it's probably okay not to ask if he's alright or if something broke.

He grabs the rest of the beer cans and as he looks for any more hidden by the stones, he finds a pretty green bottle, sealed up tight with the name Feritter Irish, Single Malt Whiskey, on it. Sans recognized it as one of the few human brands of whiskey that Grillby had carried in his pub.

"hey, i found a bottle of sealed whiskey, what should i do with it?"

"seriously? huh… well, finders’ keepers."

"what? wait, really?"

Red chuckled, "fuck yes. it's all yers. trust me, pal, Gerson ain't returnin' any of this shit to these dumbfucks."

Sans hadn't had a drink in a long time, let alone a single malt whiskey, but who knew? Sans slipped the bottle into his bag. Following the path, he stops short at the sight of two pairs of clothing laying on a flat rock.

"uh… well. they are definitely still here." He said awkwardly, edging away from the clothes.

"yeah?"

"yeeeeah." Sans dragged the word out as he ducked under a bra hanging on a haphazardly leaning log. When he came across a pair of underwear he took a deep breath, "uh, i found a… uh, set of underwear."

To his mortification, Red sounded intrigued, "no shit?"

Sans sped along the winding brush path and heard a strangled sound escape him at another pair of underwear laying on the ground, "geeze, there's two of them."

"two nude ladies…" He could almost see the smirk on Red's face, "hit the jackpot on yer first day, eh?"

Very carefully stepping away from them, Sans blushed, "come on."

"what? yer can handle it, right?" Red laughed and Sans wanted to explain that this was not what he signed up for.

Instead, "course i can. but… i mean, they're _naked_." And that was _uncomfortable_.

And Red was no help at all as he simply said, "try and stay professional, then." sounding appropriately professional himself and yet Sans knew, somehow, there was a grin on the other's face from his situation.

Sans finally freed himself from the winding path of brush and immediately wished he didn't have to confront anyone. The lake was beautiful! However, the boombox playing an obnoxious pop song on loop was rapidly spoiling his awe and he reported, "found them. in the lake." when he spotted two figures out at a lone, small stone island splashing each other.

"skinny dippin'… nice."

Sans was just relieved that they were so far away he could barely make out that they were indeed female at all. They were shadows and he could deal with that a lot better.

Suddenly the girls stopped, arms coming up to wrap around themselves as one shouted, "is that a guy over there!?!"

Red snickered, again being no help at all, and simply chimed in, "good luck."

Sans took a steadying breath before walking over to the shore and cupping his hands to his mouth, "hey, please cool it with the fireworks! they can be dangerous out here!"

"Who the fuck are you, creep?"

"He's probably just a lonely guy who likes to pretend he can boss people around!"

"Yeah! Bet you came out here because no one could stand you back home, huh shortie?"

"I though monsters were supposed to be 'better than humans' but guess even monsters can be perverts!"

"What a creep!"

The girls mocking laughter echoed across the lake and sparks of anger alit in his Soul. What did they know? How dare they… no, Sans shook his head. They didn't know him at all. Papyrus… Papyrus always tried to see the best in people. These girls were drunk… they were young and were alone and some stranger came to find them naked in the middle of the lake.

Their words were cruel but maybe it made them feel safer.

Sans let his anger go as best he could and instead tried again, "look, i'm just doing my job! and that's protecting Shoshone Forest. you probably didn't mean it, but a single firework could burn all this down! and there are other campers like you, not to mention all the animals who live here!"

The girls are silent and there is a certain heaviness in the air that makes Sans think, maybe he'd gotten his point across.

Then one of them yells, "Well… you don't have to be a Peeping Tom!"

Sans blanches and suddenly the girls are rapid-firing accusations at him.

"Y-Yeah! You're still a creep! CREEP!"

"We don't have to listen to a pervert!"

They continue to belittle him and he looks over at the boombox, still playing the same song. Sans stepped over and grabbed it, smacking the power button for more than just clarity of silence and sighed, some tension draining he hadn't even noticed from the music.

"Whoa! Hey, put that down! Seriously! It was expensive!"

A thought came to Sans and he hid a smile of retribution, as tiny as it was, and turned, holding it up for them to see, "you can pick this up at the park station when you leave!"

"The fuck! You're gonna be in big trouble for this!"

"Asshole!"

"You can't just harass girls in the woods."

"Let's go!"

Sans watched them duck behind the rock and shook his head. Looks like he'd have to lug this boombox all the way back to his Tower then. Maybe he should have thought his little revenge better, he thought scratching his skull.

Sans was crossing a small log bridge, hefting the boombox under his arm, when Red spoke up. Sans smiled to himself as he got back on solid ground. He was getting better at this, barely startled at all.

"well, color me impressed. not bad."

Sans scoffed, riding on the compliment, "wasn't _that_ hard."

"no? thought their lack of clothing was giving you some trouble."

"it was _embarrassing_." Sans stressed, "but not hard. not into humans like that." Sans carefully checked his map with one hand and then looked around to find the entrance to Thunder Canyon. The large looming walls of stone a few yards away made it easy. Sans walked along the stream as he added, "hopefully they won't case any more trouble."

"yer have more faith than me." Red muttered. A few seconds later, "thanks for headin' down there for me. yer handled that real good."

Sans smiled at the compliment. He was feeling rather proud himself. "no problem."

Navigating through the canyon was easier, Sans thought a few minutes in, when one simply walked in the water. His size lent to advantage here and he waded through the shallow stream, boombox in one hand and his shoes in the other.

"hey…" Red started slowly.

Sans was glad he'd simply left the line open when he reflexively tried for the radio with full hands, "yeah?"

"about last night. i… if i said anything… that offended yer." Sans frowned. Drawing back the sleep-addled memory of the night before, he couldn't recall anything that had made him feel that bad. Red had unintentionally dug at something to raw for him to handle but he’d backed off without question.

"look, i was probably a little drunk."

Sans shook his head despite no one being there to see it, "no, no, you were… well, you were nice." Red didn't say anything and Sans floundered before trying again. "really!" A brief humming sound that he couldn’t make head or tails of and he pressed, " _really_ , you were fine."

Suddenly Red laughed and his voice rumbled out in a purr, " _nice_ and _fine_ , was i?"

Sans blinked, then flushed, "stop it. no. you're awful."

Red laughed heartily and after a moment Sans joined him.

"sorry, anyway. i can promise yer i don' do that often. so, just let me know when yer get back to yer tower."

A rumble of thunder draws Sans eyes as he comes to a clearing with a cave entrance. “hey, Red? did you hear any thunder?”

“yep. got my eyes on a storm over ta the north. still a ways off. yer got plenty o’ time ta get back.”

But Sans was thinking about what accompanied thunder, “what about the lightning?”

“well… we just gotta make sure we do our jobs righ’. hurry back. don’ wanna take chances. yer wouldn’ be the first lookout ta get struck by lighten’.” Red chuckled but it was a grim one.

He didn’t need to be told twice, “kay.”

Just in front of the cave, Sans found another cache. Looking at the sky and finding it still quite clear, he opened it quickly. Jotted down the notes on the map inside of it, puzzled over the single antler, and was relieved that he had decided to stop when he found a little flashlight he could hook to his backpack strap.

“awesome.” He grinned when it flickered to life and headed into the cave. After playing with the echoes in the cave, he came upon a metal grate with a locked door. Peering through the bars, Sans asked, "hey Red, should i have a key to this gate?"

“uh.. the one in the cave, righ’? i don’ even have a key ta that thing. they got lost a couple years ago.”

“they only had one pair?” That didn’t seem smart.

“… yer know i never thought about it.” Red sounded surprised. “park service probably wanted ta control the traffic going through the cave.”

“what’s in there?” Sans asked, deciding that there was no use standing there if there was no way to get in. He didn’t want to go exploring locked off places on his first day out here anyway.

"ah… jus’ some cave systems, i think. spelunkers used ta go down there all the time. ‘course, not anymore."

Sans hummed thoughtfully, tossing the boombox up the little incline steps as he climbed. "i'll keep an eye out, i guess."

"if yer want." Red responded with a tone that sounded like a shrug.

Sans ascended into a skyline no longer the color of fire and instead bathed in beautiful lilac and pink. He took a moment to soak in the sight before moving on again.

Sans checked out the CD inside the boombox as he made his way down the trail. It was a one-track girl band with a name he’d never heard of. Closing the lid with his tongue stuck out in distaste, he looked up wondering whether or not they had more music out. Hopefully not. The one track on this one was far enough.

A bright glare suddenly blinded him and Sans raised his free hand to shield his sockets. When the beam of light moved enough for him to peek, he saw a figure shadowed from distance and lack of ambient light. Sans froze and didn’t breathe as he stared up at them, unsure what he was supposed to in this situation.

He’d known what to expect, kind of, with the girls in the lack. Who was this?

They seemed to stare back for a minute before they turned and disappeared from view as they walked away.

Taking a deep breath and still watching the outcropping where the stranger had been, he tried to say something, “um…” His voice stuck in his throat.

“what’s up?” Red responded casually.

“uh, i came out of the cave and… went up the trail a bit and there was this guy just… staring at me.”

“what?” Red muttered, then louder and all casualty gone, “is he doin’ anything else?”

Sans shook his head, taking a few small steps before continuing on his way with a more hesitant pace than before, “no. no, he walked off. i… i just…” _I was scared._

Red let out a breath, “s’alrigh’. it can be a little strange runnin’ in ta people out here. he was probably just a camper hikin’ around. might have startled him as much as he startled yer."

Once again, Red’s logic and experience rallied with common sense and Sans nodded, “yeah. that makes sense.”

“listen, yer can always lemme know if somethin’ is givin’ yer the creeps. ‘s why i’m here.”

Well, that was a relief, Sans thought. “thanks Red.”

“no problem, Sans.”

 

Sans looked down the long climb he had just conquered, heaving slightly. Stars, he really hoped that it would get easier the longer he was out here or this was going to be a very long summer. Thoroughly exhausted, Sans made his way to his Tower. He passed a few things he made mental notes to ask Red about later like the little outhouse and the humming generator against the support frame.

Right now, he just wanted to go to bed.

Sans made his way up the spiral steps and unlocked the door. He decided to get a strong thread to put his key on now rather than later when he thought about the fall he had at the shale slide. He hadn’t even thought to check if the key was still in his pocket.

Closing the door and flipping the lock, the image of the stranger in his mind, Sans scoured his Tower until he found a string suitable. Done with that task, he ditched the boombox under his bed. Sans sat his desk and set his radio on the charger.

“i’m back.”

“good ta hear. now… yer got a notebook in your desk. we gotta write a report about what happened. we’ll do this one together. doesn’ have ta be word fer word but it’s gotta be detailed.” Red instructed as Sans pulled out the notebook on the top drawer and a pen from the one on the side. “alrigh’, first off, we spotted the fireworks at 6:47pm…”

After they finish the report, Sans yawned and bid Red goodnight when he laughed and told him to get to bed. Crawling into bed and wrapping himself up in his blankets, he fell asleep to rain and wind beginning to patter against the windows.

**Author's Note:**

> comments inspire~!
> 
> Questions, Comments, and Requests at [BlueDysania](http://bluedysania.tumblr.com/).


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